Allow people to subscribe to your calendar (read-only) for use on their own device

Embed your calendar on your website/blog

Google Sites

Create simple, yet effective websites with Google Sites. The site tools allow integration of many of the other Google tools.

A website allows great communication between the teacher and students, parents, community, and administration. You can post announcements, news, student work, and other important information. In addition, a website is a great way to sh

A website gives your program an identity and allows for greater student/parent involvement and can also serve as a recruiting and retention tool.

Google Voice

Give out your “number” without giving out your real number. Perfect for field trips, etc. Links a Google Voice number to your cell phone or work phone. Transcribes voicemails and allows caller blocking and special grouping/sorting of your callers with different settings (dial through, send to voicemail, etc.).

YouTube (a Google service)

Just about every student has used YouTube and it is the #1 video hosting site. Having your own YouTube “channel” allows your audience the ability to subscribe to any new videos you upload. There are MANY things that you can put on a YouTube channel.

A few important items to consider:

Copyright. Be sure that the footage you upload is yours. YouTube also scans footage to look for copyrighted material. If they find it on your channel, you will receive a notice to either allow ads on your page or to take it down, depending on the content.

Privacy. Look up your district’s policies on internet use and student privacy. If my district allowed the posting of student work, images, etc., I always made sure to have a written permission form from the parents.

Comments & Ratings. On YouTube, any visitors that watch your video can post comments and also rate the video (thumbs up or down). In my situation, I always made sure to DISABLE commenting and rating of my videos. There are always people out there wanting to take shots at you or your students. With commenting and rating turned off, the video is posted without additional commentary.

Use the web to get organized, communicate, inform your audiences, ecruit and retain students and save time and money!

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About the Author

Dr. Charles Laux is the Director of Orchestras at Alpharetta High School (near Atlanta, Georgia) where his duties include directing four levels of orchestra, including the nationally recognized AHS Symphony Orchestra, and teaching class guitar. He also serves as Essential Elements clinician, consultant, and contributor for the Hal Leonard Corporation. Dr. Laux holds degrees in music education from Ohio University, the University of Nevada – Las Vegas, and a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University.

A string educator for over 20 years, Dr. Laux has worked with diverse student populations from elementary school through collegiate level. He served as Assistant Professor of String Music Education at Kennesaw State University from 2012-2016 where he taught string techniques and pedagogy, music education technology integration, supervised student teachers, conducted the KSU Philharmonic and coordinated string outreach activities, including serving as founding director of the KSU String Project. Under his leadership, Kennesaw State University became the largest string education program in Georgia and the KSU String Project grew to serve nearly 110 elementary school students. Previously Dr. Laux directed award-winning school orchestra programs in Nevada, Florida, and Ohio. Under his direction, the Winter Park High School Philharmonic Orchestra was selected to perform at the 60th annual Midwest Clinic.

Endorsed as an artist educator by D’Addario Orchestral and Eastman Stringed Instruments, Dr. Laux has presented over 100 educational sessions for organizations such as the Midwest Clinic, American String Teachers Association, Technology Institute for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and at music conferences spanning 21 states. He regularly presents professional development in-services for school districts across the country and has presented internationally at Colegio Menor San Francisco near Quito, Ecuador. His performing experience includes seasons with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, the Nevada Chamber Symphony, the Columbus String Quartet, and a collaborative solo-performance with several members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.